


The Willow Maid

by Parni1380



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magic, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:22:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23054674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parni1380/pseuds/Parni1380
Summary: A young man walked through the forestWith his quiver and hunting bowHe heard a young voice singingAnd followed the sound belowThere he found the young manWho lives in the willow------------In which Yuzuru is a willow fairy, and Javier falls for him.
Relationships: Javier Fernández/Yuzuru Hanyu
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	The Willow Maid

**Author's Note:**

> So I listened to a song today, and I immidiately went like "I needa write something to it". Thanks to Junliet for encouraging me to write it, love you!

_A young man walked through the forest_

_With his quiver and hunting bow_

Javier walked down the forest, his bow hung on his shoulder, ready to be used. He had never been in this part of the forest. Always prefering to hunt in the parts closer to the village, not so deep inside the woods. But the newcomer hunter -Nathan, he supposed- had been hunting lots in those area, leaving near to no creatures for Javier. So he decided to go deeper in, looking for the animals he needed. But what he found, was way different than what he expected.

_He heard a young voice singing_

_And followed the sound below_

The sound was otherworldly and ethereal. So beautiful it caught Javier offguard, and he found himself following it, towards the huge ancient willow, placed right in the middle of a circle of younger trees.

_There he found the young man_

_Who lived in the willow_

The sight in front of him was unlike anything he'd ever seen. The man, slender and delicate, with hair the color of coal, and obsidian eyes that countered his pale porcelain skin, was sitting there on the thick roots of the willow, just next to its even thicker trunk. A ring of red toadstools were surrounding him, like a barrier protecting him from the dangers of the world around. He wasn't wearing any clothes. His only covering the long leaves of the willow that wrapped themselves around him.

_He called to him as he listened_

_From the ring of toadstools red_

_"Come with me, my maiden_

_Come from thy willow bed"_

Javier said the words before he could control himself, like he was charmed and couldn't help the words falling from his mouth. The boy heard his words and turned towards him.

_He looked at him serenely_

_And only shook his head_

The eyes of the man looked soft, maybe even kind of sad. A half smile barely visible on his face.

_"See me now, a ray of light in the moondance_

_See me now, I cannot leave this place_

_Hear me now, a strain of song in the forest_

_Don't ask me, to follow where you lead"_

The man's voice sounded like notes of music to Javier's ears. So soft, so smooth, and at the time so... _sad_.

"At least... tell me your name!" Javier pleaded.

"Yuzuru." The young man whispered, taking a glance at his willow. "Now leave! You're not supposed to be here." Yuzuru said, trying to sound confident. And Javier did so, unable to refuse what Yuzuru asked of him. He left the willow, and went farther and farther, all the way up to the village.

But he did not see, nor heard Yuzuru crying upon him leaving. He did not see the tears running down Yuzuru's cheek and onto the strong roots of the tree. He did not hear as Yuzuru's song turned from a cheerful glee to a sad melody. His words not about the beauty of the forest anymore, but about his desire to go, to explore, to be _free_.

Outside of the forest in the village, Javier could not stop thinking about Yuzuru. Tossing and turning all night, unable to get a second of sleep. When the morning came, he could not stop himself anymore.

_A young man walked through the forest_

_With a flower and coat of green_

He had dressed himself in his best clothes, bought the prettiest flower in the florist's, and gone straight towards the willow.

_His love had hair like darkness_

_His eyes a crystal sheen_

_He wrapped himself in beauty_

_So young and so serene_

Yuzuru was laying there under the willow, facing the strong trunk of the ancient tree. Laying like that, he looked just as beautiful as the day before. Until he turned around, and Javier saw the tear stained cheeks and the wet eyes. And he found himself moving towards Yuzuru in no time.

_He stood there under the willow_

_And he gave him the yellow bloom_

Yuzuru looked at him with confusion. "What is this for?" Yuzuru asked and Javier smiled at him.

_"Boy, my heart you've captured_

_Oh, I would be your groom"_

As Javier said the words, and Yuzuru's tears started to fall down again.

_He said "I'd take the offer_

_If I wouldn't be doomed"_

Yuzuru said between the sobs. Javier would do anything to stop him from crying. To make him smile and sing again.

"What do you mean by doomed?" Javier asked curiously.

"I am bound to the willow. I will die if I get far from it." He stated, taking another glance at the top branches of the tree, a sad smile on his face.

"But _I_ am not bound to anything! I would come here everyday if you wanted me to!" Javier offered.

"Would you really?" Yuzuru asked, a glint of hope in his melodic voice.

"Yes." Javier said, a soft smile on his lips.

* * *

Years passed since Javier promised Yuzuru he would visit him everyday, and in all those days, he came and visited Yuzuru. Getting to know him more and more everyday. Yuzuru would sing for him, and Javier would bring things from the village. Clothes, jewelry, foods, or even things like pens and spoons. Even the simplest of things seemed to amaze Yuzuru. He would take them in his delicate fingers, and look at them in awe. Then he would ask Javier what they were used for. He would wear the clothes and jewelry, and ask Javier if he looked pretty. To which Javier always answered yes.

One day, Yuzuru looked in thought when Javier got there, his singing stopped.

"Is there a problem, Yuzu?" Javier asked him, sounding concerned.

"Not a problem, Javi." Yuzuru said. "I was just thinking that, maybe, it's time for me to get out."

"But... but you will _die_ , Yuzu! Have you forgotten your bound?!" Javier said, sounding distressed.

"But the bound only states that I can't get far from the willow. What if there _is_ no willow?!" Yuzuru said, a bit of stubbornness hanging in his voice.

"What do you mean Yuzu?" Javier asked warily, his eyes moving between Yuzuru and the ancient tree.

"What I mean is that, Javi, I'm asking you to cut off my willow." Yuzuru took Javier's hands in his as he said it, his black eyes looking directly at Javier's brown ones.

"Are you sure?" Javier looked back at Yuzuru, his voice unsure.

"Yes I'm sure." Yuzuru reassured him, squeezing Javier's hands in his a little. And so Javier went back to his house to get ready.

_A young man walked through the forest_

_With an axe sharp as a knife_

After sharpening his axe, Javier paved the familiar way to the willow for the last time in his life.

_"I'll take the black-eyed fairy_

_And he shall be my life_

_With him I'll raise my children_

_With him I'll live my life"_

Javier whispered to himself as he got closer to the willow, trying to calm his nervous mind, and push away the negative thoughts.

_The young boy smiled when he saw him_

_When he said he'd set him free_

Yuzuru seemed excited, and he urged Javier to hurry.

_He took his axe and used it_

_To bring down his ancient tree_

The willow fell down with a horrendous sound, its leaves and branches immediately turning to shades of orange instead of their usual bright green.

_"Now your willow's fallen_

_Now you belong to me"_

Yuzuru jumped to Javier's arms as he said those words, whispering thanks in his ear.

"Ok now, let's get you out of here as quickly as possible, right?" javier suggested, a bright smile on his face.

"I'd love to see your house as soon as possible!" Yuzuru turned back the bright smile, his eyes turning into two tiny crescents and his white neat teeth showing.

They walked the way, hand in hand. Yuzuru was giddy at first. Looking around at all different kinds of trees, and all but jumping around as he walked. But little by little, his movements turned slowers, maybe even a little clumsy. But when Javier asked him if he was ok, he kept saying that everything was fine.

_He followed him out the forest_

_And collapsed upon the earth_

_His feet had walked but a distance_

_From the green land of his birth_

As soon as they reached the edge of the forest, just outside the village, Yuzuru fell down on the grass like a stack of potatoes. Javier crouched down beside him immediately, cradling him in his arms.

"Yuzu, Yuzu are you alright?" Javier asked, almost panicking.

"Hey... it's fine, Javi..." Yuzuru whispered.

"It's... it's not find Yuzu! What's happening to you?!" Javier nearly screamed, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Shhh Javi, it's ok..." Yuzuru whispered, his voice getting weaker by second. "I knew from the start that I wouldn't make it far." He stated, a glint of a smile on his lips. "But I saw the outside at last, right? I saw your birthtown." Yuzuru's smile grew a bit wider at that, not a sliver of sadness in his voice.

"No! No no no no! Yuzu, you can't die! Please don't die! I beg you Yuzuru! Please don't leave me!" Javier begged, as Yuzuru's eyes started to close.

Yuzuru used the last bits of his strength to pull Javi lower, and mouthed the words "I'm not leaving you" before his grip on Javier's shirt loosened, and his eyes closed for the last time.

Javier let out a pained scream and hugged Yuzuru's limp form closer to his body, sobbing into the still warm delicate shoulders until he felt the body in his arms shrinking, fading out into thin air.

He watched with dazed eyes, until the beautiful ethereal body of his lover disappeared completely. And, to Javier's awe, a delicate pale flower raised from under the soil, growing taller than the grass covering the ground, its delicate round petals blooming to form an ethereal sight right in the beginning of the forest.

'Just like Yuzuru' Javier thought, a small smile forming on his lips as he looked to the skies, promising his lover to take care of what he left down on earth.

_He faded into a flower_

_That would bloom on cheerful eves_

_He could not take from the forest_

_What was never meant to leave_

**Author's Note:**

> So, as I mentioned earlier, the whole thing was inspired by a song, which was Erutan's "The Willow Maid". The italic parts are parts of her lyrics, although modified at parts to fit the story. Because in the original song, the man forces the willow maid to leave her forest by forcibly cutting down her willow. You can listen to the original song here:  
> https://youtu.be/E52rxz2sjRs
> 
> I hope you all liked it!  
> Maybe see you later😅😁


End file.
